Welcome to Author Interview Thursday hosted by the Never Too Old for YA and NA Books group on Goodreads.
Today we welcome author M. Homer!
Can you learn to forget?
Sam is plagued by nightmares she can’t understand with dark visions of a past she suspects may be her own. When she moves into a new co-ed house, she is drawn to the handsome but aloof Nathan. The housemates welcome in Sam but all withhold their own secrets from her which she knows she needs to unravel to truly understand Nathan. But her past is destined to torment her, can she find the strength to face her fear?
Welcome!
Did you always know you wanted to
be a writer or did you want to be something else?
In some ways
the answer to this is yes but I didn’t really have the confidence or the
knowledge of where to start. Even as a child I was always writing in a diary or
writing 100s of stories I didn’t finish. I still have some of those hidden in
boxes in my garage. Having said all that, I also wanted to be a vet until I saw
that you had to be good at science!
How long does it take you to write
a book from start to finish?
About three/ four months… I find
when I’m writing that I can’t sleep properly. I’m up at 4am every morning
writing for a few hours before I have to head off to work and then in the evenings
I’m back on until late at night. I just feel like I have to keep going until
it’s all out there!
How do you come up with themes for
your stories?
I love
romantic stories that have a theme around overcoming something terrible and
still coming out on top. I want my characters to find the happiness they
deserve. With Dare to Breathe, I just had this story building in my head that I
wanted to tell.
Do you have a schedule of when you
write?
No, I do it
entirely out of my own head in any way that works for me and my family. Writing
is my way of relaxing and so there is no specific schedule.
How are you able to balance other
aspects of your life with your writing?
Truthfully?
Not that well. When I’m writing, I sort of shut out the rest of the world.
Lucky for me I have a great family and supportive husband. My 13 year old son
has become a great cook out of all this J
What elements do you think make a great
story line?
Character
driven stories inspire me. As stated above, I like to see my characters
overcome some tough situations so that they can find happiness. I can’t help
it, I’m a hopeless romantic!
What was the hardest thing about
writing a book?
Being patient
while I waited for a publisher to accept the book. There are so many publishers
out there that will turn you away, it’s easy to become despondent. Having the
patience to wait it out and keep trying is really important.
How many books have you written so
far? Do you have a favorite?
So far I’ve
written three. Dare to Breathe is by far my favorite one but the one which I
have just sent out to publishers, is really cool too J Watch this space…
Do you have a favorite character?
Well I fell
in love with Sam from Dare to Breathe. She is so strong, despite all the
hardship she has to overcome. I loved her ability to preserve and keep moving
forward.
Where do you write?
Usually I
hide in my room and write on a laptop on my bed.
When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route
you took?
I googled
publishers who were willing to accept unsolicited manuscripts and found some I
wanted to try.
Have you gotten feedback from
family about your book(s)? What do they think?
My cousin,
Amanda was the one who motivated me to publish the book. She edited the first
draft and loved it which gave me the confidence to do it. My sister loved the
book and has been my advocate ever since. I feel really supported by my close
friends and family
What kinds of things do you like to
do outside of writing?
I live in New
Zealand so I love going to the beach and just being with my family. When we’re
home, I love reading and can pretty much read a book in a day.
What kinds of advice would you give
to someone who wants to start writing?
If you’re
doing it for money, don’t! Instead, if you’re doing it because you have a
burning need to get your story out there, then keep going and keep trying. It’s
worth it.
What is your favorite book?
favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write?
Last year I read Edge of Never (JA
Redmerski) and Sea of Tranquility (Katja Millay) I fell in love with both
books. I was also hugely inspired by Nyrae Dawn’s books.
Do you have any go to people when
writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta
reading and such?
My cousin!
She is amazing in her advice and support. I’m not sure I could do it without
her.
Are you working on anything
now?
I am
working on a follow up from Dare to Breathe. This story is a stand alone book
that delves into Ben and Carrie’s life (the secondary characters from Dare to
Breathe).
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Michela!
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Michela!
I live in the beautiful country of New Zealand with my very
understanding husband, two children, two cats, and a chocolate Labrador.Between obsessively reading, I love to write romantic stories. My main passion is writing books about young adult love. This can emotional at times but I believe that these stories need to be told. I love to write stories about characters based on emotional struggles and how despite these, love can overcome all. After all I believe my characters deserve their happily ever afters...
Contact Michela on:
As another hopeless romantic, thanks for the interview and giveaway!
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